Toilet paper and fixture



QNO Model.)

' 0. H. HICKS.

TOILET PAPER AND FIXTURE. No. 334,864. Patented Jan. 26, 1886.

' 'W-rlineaaes. luv/ante Warren fi'rrlrns varena. tries.

OLIVER HEIVLETT HICKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TOILET PAPER AND FIXTURE.

$PECIPICATION' forming part'of Letters Patent No 334,864, dated January 26, 1886.

Serial No. 172,326. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, OLIVER HEWLETT Hrcxs, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Toilet Paper and Fixtures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in combining with an improved form of fixture or holder a pcculiar kind of paper band, whereby sections of paper of approximately the same length may be removed from said band one at a time, and wastage of the paper prevented.

I will first describe my invention, and will then point outits particular features ofnovelty in the claims at the end of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of theholder with the paper applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of modifications of the holder.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The paper which I use consists of one or more continuous lengths wound upon a comparatively large mandrel in such manner as to present, when removed from the mandrel the appearance of a continuous band, A, having a large elongated central opening, a, as shown in Fig. 1, and of sufficient flexibility to adapt itself to any form of support that may be introduced within it. I prefer to use a flat or oval support-such as shown at B,Figs. 1 and 2as this imparts an oval form to the paper band and furnishes short rounded corners a, approaching angles as nearly as possible at which the paper can be conveniently torn off. I preferably make the support B slightly tapered, so that the paper may be wedged 011 it and prevented from being drawn off by the operation of removing a sheet of paper. Any

other form of support may be used which will have the effect, when inserted within the band of paper, of forming one or more rounded corners, such as described, and especially one at the upper part, where the tearing off of the paper usually takes place. It is not necessary that the support should entirely fill the interior of the paper, nor that it should extend Way through from side to side, the only requisite being that it shall effectively prevent the paper from turning while the operation of tearing off a sheet is going 011. In Fig. 3, for instance, a comparatively narrow support, 0, is shown, while in Fig. 4 a support, (Z (Z, extending into the paper a short distance from each end thereof, is shown. WVhatever form of support is employed, I preferably connect it to a back plate, C, that is adapted to be fastened to a wall or other object for the purpose of sustaining the holder in proper position.

To remove a section of paper from the band, it is only necessary to grasp the depending end of paper and draw it laterally, so as to cause it to tear at the rounded corner at the upper end of the band, as shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the section is severed, the new end of paper will drop down into position for the next operation, as will be readily understood.

In order to prevent the layers or convolutions of paper from being drawn off the band before being severed therefrom, I prefer to employ a guard, D, secured, preferably, to the support B, as shown in Fig. l, and extending over the edge and side of the band, as shown.

It will be noted that to secure the automatic dropping of a new end of paper into position to be grasped after one piece has been torn from the roll it is of course essential that there shall be no ad hesive matter interposed between the convolutions of the paper, and,in fact,that there shall be nothing applied between the convolutions of the paper, or internally or externally of the roll, which will prevent the end of the paper from freely descending when severance takes place at the top of the roll.

I am aware that heretofore toilet'paper has been wound upon an oval-shaped core with adhesive m'atterbetweeu the convolutions, so as to hold them in place, and the whole placed within an inclosingcase having hinged sections, which permit of ready access to it; but paper so put up is only adaptedjjto l be used while on the roll, and has to betorn therefrom after use, thus involving an inconvenience which at once suggests itself. Moreover, the roll thus formed cannot be nsedafter the manner of my roll, and is therefore essentially different from it. In the one caseit is a'necessity that the convolutions of paper should be held together positively in some way; in the other that they should be freely separated, and, in fact,be capable of automatic separation, so as to always expose a depending end ready to be grasped.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with an open flexible band of toilet-paper,composed of acontinuous strip wound into convolutions, the proximate surfaces of which are disconnected from each other,and terminating in a free end, of afixed support for said band, which, when inserted, causes a round corner to be formed at the upper part of the band, so as to produce a convenient point for tearing the paper, whereby in the removal of the paper from the band a free end is always caused to drop into position to be grasped by the next user, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with an open flexible band of toilet-paper, formed of a convoluted strip and having its outer end free, of a tapering support or core, which serves, when forced into theband, to firmly unite the parts, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with an open flexible band of toilet paper, such as described, composed of a continuous convoluted strip, and having its outer end free, of a support which, when inserted, will cause a rounded corner or corners to be formed on the band, and a guard for preventing the convolutions from slipping laterally, substantially as described.

, OLIVER HEWLETT HICKS.

WVitnesses:

T. H. BACHELER, WM. T. UNDERWOOD. 

